Mother & Child Are Linked At The Cellular Level

Fetal cells remain to heal a mother throughout her life. shortgreenpigg.deviantart.com

Today is my youngest child’s birthday. As my mother used to tell me, we always carry our children in our hearts. I know this is true emotionally. Apparently it’s also true on the physical level.

Sometimes science is filled with transcendent meaning more beautiful than any poem. To me, this new research shows the poetry packed in the people all around us.

It’s now known that cells from a developing fetus cross the placenta, allowing the baby’s DNA to become part of the mother’s body. These fetal cells persist in a woman’s body into her old age. (If she has been pregnant with a male child it’s likely she’ll have some Y-chromosomes drifting around for a few decades too). This is true even if the baby she carried didn’t live to be born. The cells of that child stay with her, resonating in ways that mothers have known intuitively throughout time.

Fetal cells you contributed to your own mother may be found in her blood, bone marrow, skin, kidney, and liver. These fetal cells appear to “treat” her when she is ill or injured. Researchers have noticed the presence of these cells in women diagnosed with illnesses such as thyroid disease and hepatitis C. In one case, a woman stopped treatment against medical advice. A liver biopsy showed “thousands of male cells” determined to be from a pregnancy terminated nearly 20 years earlier. These cells helped her body recover just as fetal cells you gave your mother rush to help repair her from within when she’s unwell.

Fetal cells may influence a woman’s autoimmunity, although it’s not yet known if they are always beneficial. According to fascinating accounts in Do Chocolate Lovers Have Sweeter Babies?: The Surprising Science of Pregnancy, the more fetal cells there are in a woman’s body, the less likely she is to have conditions such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. That’s not always the case. It’s thought that sometimes a mother’s body may instead battle those cells, thus provoking autoimmune disorders. (Apparently family dynamics are complicated even at the cellular level.)

Look around at your family. Any woman who has ever been pregnant, even if she miscarried so early she never knew she was with child, is likely to be a microchimera (a person who carries the cells of another person). Fetal cells have the imprint of her child’s father and his ancestry. Fetal cells can be shared from one pregnancy to another, meaning the cells of older siblings may float within younger siblings. These cells are another reminder of the ways we are connected in a holographic universe.

I’d like to think that my fetal cells helped my mother battle the congestive heart failure that eventually took her life. I like to consider that I carry within me my older sister’s fierce intelligence and that my talented younger brother benefits in some way from the cells of both his sisters. Knowing that I carry the cells of my four living children as well as babies I lost makes my heart ever more full on this special day.

We heal our mothers and our children heal us. Again poetry takes a back seat to nature’s awesome secrets.

187 thoughts on “Mother & Child Are Linked At The Cellular Level”

Intuition is certainly a gift we Mum’s have been blessed with. I have always thought it a miracle that we can make these children – so perfectly shaped and so complex. Thanks for adding to this wonderful complexity by writing this post.

To address your comment that “Apparently family dynamics are complicated even at the cellular level”…YES!…

…did you know that you can transfer a ‘genetic disease’ to your adopted child – look at the work of developmental biologist Bruce Lipton, who has proven that DNA can be affected by belief, that your family predisposition to cancer can be transferred to your adopted child.

I really appreciate you adding this Donna.Fascinating. I love Lipton’s work, both his book Biology of Belief and Spontaneous Evolution. He has a way of pulling together all sorts of other things I’m reading into paradigm-shifting science.

Your article is interesting indeed but looks to have been largely pulled verbatim from a March Scientific American article by Robert Martone from March 2012. You should’ve cited the article as your source. It’s easy to find this other article on line and your blog came out a few months later. It’s unethical not to reference your sources.

Beth, I’m very careful to reference every single source I use in this and other articles. I have many hyperlinks directly to my original sources. In fact I’ve gone back to the piece and added additional links to research as I run across them.

It’s entirely understandable that Dr. Martone encountered and cited some of the same sources, there’s actually very little research on this that’s available to the public. I was excited to run across his article and immediately added it to the comment section back on August 27, 2014 as you will notice.

The word “verbatim” means “in exactly the same words as were used originally.” I don’t see a similar article structure let alone any verbatim sentences when comparing my article with Dr. Martone’s article. Many authors write about the same subjects and do so citing many of the same sources —– that is not remotely unethical. I’m simply writing as a layperson who is excited to find what feels like transcendent meaning in the often stiff words shared with us by science.

Hi Laura, I also thought this post was lovely and it warmed my (shared) heart but it is always good to hear both sides of every story. Although I hate to send you this info, I do believe it is important. My brother is a lawyer who works on a number of medical negligent cases and does a lot of research about the maternal physiology during and after birth. I posted this article on my facebook page and this was his response.

“.and fetal cells in a mothers blood stream also causes amniotic fluid embolism which shuts down her lungs, sets up a cascade of a depletion of blood clotting factors and then she bleeds to death. It is an immunological response to what the body perceives as a ‘foriegn body’ in the blood stream causing anaphylaxis…..a severe allergic reaction and most times occurs during or just after birth.”

It’s acknowledged in the research that fetal cells aren’t always beneficial to the mother, but the circumstances your brother cites are surely rare as the vast majority of pregnant women have fetal cells in their bodies. Hope your brother appreciates the risk his own mother took to give birth to him!

Amniotic fluid embolism is very rare, 1 in 20,464. But has a higher chance of occurring during a Cesarean section or termination. There is also evidence to support amniocentesis being linked to AFE.

“Although exposure to fetal tissue is common and thus finding fetal tissue within the maternal circulation is not significant, in a small percentage of women this exposure leads to a complex chain of events resulting in collapse and death.”

Women need to understand that conception, pregnancy and birth for the majority of women are natural, everyday, miracle events that can be positive and beautiful. Fears, trauma and negative ordeals need to be processed and not consume every story that is a shared to Mum’s to be. Surround yourself with positiveness and researched facts.

This is an interesting article. I was one of those babies affected by RH incompatibility. It happened at birth when my blood crossed the placenta to mix with my mothers blood. Her blood attacked my blood due to my having A+. It proceeded to try to destroy my blood. My mother lost a child prior to me because of the same condition. The doctor thought he would prevent problems with me by putting my mother on a Vitamen B(I think this was the one?) Unfortunately, it caused my blood to coagulate so that the doctor had difficulties transfusing me when it came necessary. This was 65 years ago. It doesn’t seem that this would be a good thing to maintain remnates from my mother. Still, we had a very strong maternal bond.

That’s is what I have been trying to research.i was born with rh a negative blood type and i was a breach baby. My mother had seventy two stitches after my birth. I’m sure there had to be blood transfer. I was also the second child born in 1965. My question is that on a cellular level could it cause a lack of bonding between mother and child. Expressing itself in our daily lives with each other. My mother has always treated me different from my siblings almost as if she doesn’t know how to love me. It has been this way between us for as long as I can remember. I would like to think that is the reason because in fifty years i have never been able to understand the reasons behind this. If it is possible then sadly I will at least have some understanding of the why of it. Because no other reason has ever presented itself.

If your mother had 72 stitches whether by vaginal or cesarean, I am laying bets she had a very difficult, traumatic delivery and may have had some post traumatic stress disorder which may have also caused some post partum depression. If it was a vaginal delivery she may also have had a rectal tear. The emotional aspect of a traumatic birth was not known back then but is now. Kathleen Kendall-Tackett is a very well know researcher on this issue.

“RH disease occurs only in some second or subsequent pregnancies of Rh negative women where the fetus’s father is Rh positive, leading to a Rh+ pregnancy. During birth, the mother may be exposed to the infant’s blood, and this causes the development of antibodies, which may affect the health of subsequent Rh+ pregnancies. In mild cases, the fetus may have mild anaemia with reticulocytosis. In moderate or severe cases the fetus may have a more marked anaemia and erythroblastosis (erythroblastosis fetalis). When the disease is very severe it may cause HDN, hydrops fetalis, or stillbirth.
Rh disease is generally preventable by treating the mother during pregnancy or soon after delivery with an intramuscular injection of anti-RhD immunoglobulin (Rho(D) immune globulin). The RhD protein is coded for by the RHD gene.” From wiki

RH disease is only fairly uncommon as women with negative blood type are routinely given antibodies after a first pregnancy to prevent RH disease in the second pregnancy.

From my understanding of birth there hasn’t been any link between amniotic fluid embolism and RH disease. Remembering AFE is nearly always fatal for the mother, and RH disease may affect future pregnancy’s resulting in stillbirth or miscarriage.

My mother gave birth to 4 children. She is RH negative, my father RH positive. I am the first born and RH positive, no issues as I was the first pregnancy. My brother, born 3 years after me in 1959 was also positive, there was no drug at the time, but the condition was known and they were prepared, and gave him complete blood transfusion. He spent several days in the hospital, but grew normally, and is a healthy adult. The next brother was anticipated to also have RH issues, titre tests were run and again prep was made and he was induced in 1960. Despite all the tests indicating he would be RH positive, he was not, he was negative for the RH factor. In 1963 my mother miscarried a baby girl at 7 months gestation. Severe response as the baby was RH positive. in 1964 my mother had her last child, a boy, again the tests all showed trouble, but he also was negative RH. After reading this posting, I do have to wonder how those two RH negative baby boys managed to have positive tests, and what the genetics were that produced them. Seems she beat the odds. She is now a week shy of 90. Did those two RH negative brothers contribute something to her longevity or was it a different family genetic legacy? She has an identical twin sister, also about to turn 90. It is something to think about. Her sister, by the way, had 5 kids, no RH issues because her husband was also negative. Another oddity, of the 4 of us siblings, the first 3 are left handed. Only the youngest is a righty! Both our parents are right-handed. Beat the odds again. Maybe we should all buy lottery tickets. 😉 Going to sleep tonight thinking about what my one and only successfully birthed child has given me as she is about to turn 20 in a few weeks.

I would like to add to the discussion about the RH factor if I may. My mother had one miscarriage and five successful pregnancies. Then she had two boys born in 1955 and 1957 and both died because of RH negative blood. The first boy lived thirteen hours and the second one lived just over a month. They lived in a small rural community but were aware of the possible problems for the second boy. They had people prepared to donate blood but for some reason is was never done. My mother used to go through the cemetery with me and point out families who had lost as many as five children to the RH factor. I am so glad that now it is only a matter of getting a shot after each pregnancy. What a giant step forwad.

I wonder, regarding the post above mine, if O- moms carrying either pos or neg babies, if the same would occur? Because I understand moms blood will attack a subsequent fetus’s blood and destroy it without having had RhoGam after the first pregnancy.That aside, what a buzzkill detail to add to this lovely post lol

Those references to not condone the leap to emotion and “Aw, a part of me that I haven’t seen since before my birth has a will and wants to fix Mom’s heart!” type of statements. Her body is using what it has available.

Seriously, the video is freaky. Nobody had better ever send that to me.

While I am very sorry for women who have miscarried or had abortions, these articles are not saying that the child lives on inside of them (or as some commenters on this Scientific American article claim, that great-great- grandma lives inside of them). That is very different from a statement that we are affected by past, intimate, experiences.

I am kind of sickened by it being presented as some “wonderful” aspect of female physiology. This is an article about how women improve their own life by getting pregnant regardless of whether or not they actually have kids. Or how badly they may raise them either because of the conditions of their own life or by personality. REAL misread on the confusion of factors here to believe this is about being a “good” thing beyond survival of species activity; Interesting medically. Socially, there are very good studies which show the detrimental physical effects on those of us who only get to even dream of having our own kids which then doesn’t happen because of bad life circumstances limiting us to barely pulling off our own survival. It was proven years ago that women have a much greater immune response than men; thus the truly confounding world of HIV, lupus, and other immune system research. It was a weapon in the insurance industry and related politics for years; I can just imagine the politics on this one.

A bit bitter are we ? GO ADOPT A KID !! MANY BABIES OUT THERE NEED A MOTHER ! Read the ENTIRE collum that speaks of adopted children ! Stop being bitter and be proactive ! There is reason for everything in life,the good the bad and the ugly !

I would assume that “Jeff” (being a male) would be unable to conceive. Jeff’s bitterness doesn’t appear to be about being unable to become pregnant, but something else entirely. This guy sounds like he’s choosing to interpret the info such that women are out here getting pregnant just to make themselves healthier. Obviously this is ridiculous. Jeff DOES seem very bitter, but even reading his post 2-3 times, I’m still not clear why… just that he’s very bitter.

Wow, really? There’s free baby’s somewhere? This is an incredibly insensitive statement. It cost a lot of money to adopt. I had a child that was stillborn at 37 weeks, after trying for 5 yrs to get pregnant. I am not eligible, in Texas, to foster/adopt through CPS until it has been 2 yrs since the loss of my daughter. The very least I would looking at for an adoption not through CPS is around 10-15k. My husband is a college professor and I a teacher, we do not have that kind of money. International adoptions cost even more. Many people at the point of adopting, have spent thousands of dollars on infertility treatments. I don’t even understand the insensitivity that would lead to a post like this, but I hope that you will be more sensitive in the future.

Jeff you are an abuser of the privilege of social media. An amazing article that made me smile/cry, not long after the death of a close family member and offered comfort, has been diluted with your perspective. I believe you have missing link that has created a personality defect. I will not return to these comments so biting reply will not be seen. Find some values, compassion and lighten up.

This is an articule stating possible scientific fact about what happens in a womans body when carrying a child. Has NOTHING to do with abortion,adoption or infertility. If you read a scientific piece and take it personally then I suggested you work on that and let the rest of us be fascinated with what science is learning every day.

Science or reasoning brings knowledge ‘about’ something. Through science I can know to put lemon juice on my apples to keep them from turning brown. This is indirect knowledge – I do not know it from myself. I know it from science.

Intuitive knowledge is when you go “aha – I know this. It is familiar. It is true to me.” This is direct knowledge. This perhaps explains what Sarah and pinkbekah mean. Perhaps they mean this rings true experientially for them.

On a further note of this, Huston Smith describes how secularists will see only the ‘veil’, where “those with religious sensibilities glimpse God through the veil.” (p 253, Why Religion Matters) So if you are a secularist, maybe you can understand that that some of us are always ‘glimpsing’ and going ‘aha’. Something deep within us that has been waiting and wondering has been touched, knowing again and again that perfection prevails. It is hard to see. It is not obvious. But it is beautiful and worth waiting for when it is glimpsed.

So Sarah’s comment about God may be from a veil-glimpser for whom scientific knowledge has touched her directly and affirmed her faith.

Thank you for this article, which warms my heart today, the seventh anniversary of the death of my first daughter, at 18 weeks gestation. I am so connected to her and her little sister, who was also lost before birth. This is so affirming. ❤

I am nearing the third anniversary of my son’s miscarriage (a twin that I knew intuitively was there), and this blog also had me in tears, confirming my knowledge that I am still so connected to him. And so so beautiful to know that his twin sister may also have some of him inside her! ❤

This piece greatly blessed my daughter who has miscarried twice and carries a strong attachment to these missing little ones. She has also adopted a daughter whom we all love. Thank you from an appreciative Dad.

how beautiful 🙂 explains why we love and are attached to our children so much too 🙂 i definately think the do babies whos mothers eat chocolate have sweeter children comment maybe true! :p my 2 boys -4months and 23months are sweet little laid back boys 🙂

Awww….and what do the poor papas have going for them? Maybe a regular pumping of the prostate from a sympathetic woman. Or man, whatever the case may be. I would love to hear that men somehow benefit from having children as well. Although, I do hear that close fatherly parenting reduces testosterone and therefore, testosterone driven reactions.

Read the article again. If cells can transfer even between ADOPTIVE babies and mothers, then the dads are probably included in that transfer as well. Plus, the men are getting cells from their Moms and their siblings. The guys are getting their share, never fear.

Actually, it was in the comments. A reader named Donna noted that adoptive families transfer what had been thought to be genetic predispositions and diseases to their adoptive children (in some cases) at rates that are the same for genetically similar offspring. Some of this comes through the published articles and books by developmental biologist, Bruce Lipton PhD. (he’s not focused on this issue but his findings are relevant).

Thanks for opening up new lines of learning and research for me! My daughter had this to say about your article when I posted it on FB:

KH: Now that I know I carry my boys cells with me, I don’t have to eat them to have them with me forever.
Sunday at 10:19am · Like · 1
susyec: Maybe that’s why you want to eat them. So you can have more of their cells!!!
Sunday at 10:38am · Like
susyec: KH, Cannibal mom. 😉

This explains why moms are always saying to their babies, “I could just eat you up!”

As the Mother of one living child and 7 known miscarriages this resonates with so many emotions I have carried quietly inside for decades. Through 8 years of infertility I also “felt” when I was pregnant, nearly immeadiately. Many Dr’s totally dismissed my certainty I was getting pregnant just not maintaining the pregnancy, one even suggested I see a psychiatrist to deal”with my problem”! Finally a caring and forward thinking obgyn accepted my thought and gave me a blanket early blood pregancy script for a lab. I was accurate every time I thought I was pregnant. This wonderful Dr also recomended avoiding commercial foods for his infertile women/couples; in the early 80’s. Today my daughter is 26 and a mother of a 2 year old son herself. I still feel a connection to all the babies I lost, 2 more so than the others. I find this new knowledge very comforting that we are connected even though I never held them in my arms.

The post has a great deal to do with how we contributed living cells to our own mothers. You’ll notice the video is by a man who uses this research to express awe and love for his mother. To me this information is the opposite of leaving anyone out, it affirms just how connected we are. I’m sorry if anything in the piece felt hurtful.

Then why did you read it? I sympathize that you were infertile, but don’t come on here throwing a pity party and making us who had kids feel like shit for being a mother while YOU couldn’t. Stop feeling sorry for yourself, and stop making parents feel like shit for being parents.

My son, Ya’acov, died in his sleep at the age of 43. Since then I have carried him in my heart and now, to read that his cells are within me, it is a great JOY. I thank you for this posting, and continue to feel my oldest son ensconced in my body at the cellular level. Thank you my dear, new, friend. Abot

The bummer part of this science, to me, is the imprint of the baby’s father and his ancestry being a part of the fetal cells IF the father was abusive in any way. How many women work so hard to get out of an abusive relationship, to save their own lives and their children’s lives? And then to learn that man’s cellular structure is in her own body…? That’s a horrible pill to swallow.

Laura,
This occurred to me, too, and hits home as I lam a mother who left my girls’ abusive father. The beauty for me is that I truly believe his abusive control and manipulation where conditioned traits that he had choice to override. Inside of him is still a beautiful child of God with the same needs as everyone else, he just chose strategies to get his needs met that cost himself and the rest of us too much. He’s no longer part of our daily lives because of the boundaries that I had to establish, but to think that the pure, kind, innocent essence of him endures inside me and my children, connecting me and my girls, is sweet, not painful for me.

Brie, I had the same experience and reached the same conclusion as you. My late ex-husband, long gone now, had a very traumatic childhood during and after WWII as a young boy victimized in a walled boarding school run by priests in Italy. My life with him became a terrifying nightmare of psychotic abuse and I had no choice but to sever all ties. However, my children inherited his brilliance and sensitivity and gifts and several times I’ve received astonishing proof of him reaching out to help them from beyond the grave and of the circle of life. He, too, had that same pure, sweet innocent essence you describe. Everything good in him, and there was so much, has survived in my children and grandchildren. I am so grateful for the gifts he left behind.

I thought of that too…but I think as long as we show them the right ways, the right path, then my older 2 kids will not be anything like him. Now, I do have a child w/ my husband, and from what I gathered from this article about the siblings, is that my older daughter’s and son’s cells could be in my daughter I have w/ my husband. But they obviously have their (abusive and psychotic) father’s imprint in their cells, so therefore, some cells containing my ex’s imprint could be in my younger daughter, as well as her own father’s (my husband, sorry I keep specifying, but it may be confusing for some). That, really doesn’t sit too well w/ me, and I am going to take this info w/ me to my grave because I really don’t want my husband or my youngest daughter having unsettling feelings about this. But again, we just have to show them all the right path and hope they take it. But at the same time, it is a beautiful thing to know that a part of my kids will always be within me, and a part of me within them. It does kinda make us all feel as though we are one.

This article really touched my heart and brought me comfort. My daughter, Paige, died at the age of 19. I miss her so much and the pain is unbearable at times. But to know that a part of her lives inside of me helps me. I think that it also explains why the pain of losing her has been so unbearable. Thank you for sharing this information.

This article touched my heart and brought me comfort. My daughter, Paige Renee, died at the age of 19 years. I miss her so much and the pain is unbearable at times. It is comforting that I carry a part of her with me in ways I didn’t even know. It also explains why the pain is so unbearable at times – I’ve truly lost a part of me when I lost her.

I didn’t mean to post twice. I’m just figuring out how to do this. It let me post just with putting in my name and then it had me sign in and I didn’t see the earlier post so I re-posted — sorry for that.

This was incredibly fascinating, thank you for sharing! It feels my heart with joy that my daughter’s cells are within me. It makes perfect sense emotionally. It also explains why my mom always knew when I was in danger, or up to no good…

Didn’t Carl Gustav Jung say something similar about cellular memory, racial memory, etc? As a white skinned child from a mixed race family, his theory might explain why I was surprised as a very small child, to see a pale skinned reflection in the mirror. I actually saw myself as being darker skinned, in my own head. (And no…my mother was not very dark skinned herself, and I had no real basis for recognizing that I was mixed race, at that age.)

This was forwarded to me as I have just delivered my stillborn daughter. Along with my 2 year old son and my two previous miscarriages, it is comforting to know that all four of my children are with me. I held my daughter in my arms and whispered to her “a moment in my arms, forever in my heart”, how true this turns out to be.

This was a very interesting read- never thought of the cellular connection quite that way before!

Reading the comments is very touching- my heart goes out to those who have lost their child and realizing how comforting it must be to feel a part of them is still physically present within their bodies.

Amazing, and beautifully written! I immediately thought of a very close friend and a family member: the friend had a stillbirth, the family member had a loss in her first trimester and was never able to conceive again. There is something comforting in knowing they will always be with us.

You have no idea how much this article meant to me. When I was a teenager, I gave a child up for adoption. Thirty years later I searched for him and found he deceased when he was 26. It is an agonizing pain I wish on no one. Knowing he is still inside of me makes it somehow more bearable.
Thank you for this.

such a wonderful article as i have birthed four girls one of mine died at the age of five she was the third in line…..the most amazing thing happened after she passed my first one was stolen from me she wasnt given to me after she was born and i found her at 18 i got the info from the docs people who placed her i knew she was stolen how traumatic lost to adoption but i did find her at 18 and when i said to her dont ever think i didnt want you she replied to me i always knew you wanted me……see how connected we are…….unfortunately she is still loyal to her adopters….but i have a feeling my three living children and myself will all be connected again….after all they are siblings all separated from each other……this artice has confirmed what i somehow knew…….i birthed another little girl three years after my third one died of cancer……and when she was two she told me she came back i had a feeling about that and it was confirmed by a psychic person without a doubt……never question god hey its all quite a miracle…..its a miracle i was able to conceive her at the age of 39 i did……pregnancy and childbirth is just miraculous to take children from their mothers for adoption is so wrong ……because our childrenare still connected to us……..wow what an experience…..so glad i was able to birth four children…….adoption never entered my head ……i didnt go down that path ……no way……i birthed my own children…….i didnt want anyone elses i would never take ababy from its mother its so wrong to dothat…..take aliving infant from their mother……..

I can’t understand the above post. And what’s wrong with adoption? In many cases, it’s the most loving choice a mother can make, to give her child a better life than she’s capable of giving him/her.

The above post highlights why it’s a shame one doesn’t have to be literate to have their reproductive organs work. (And four kids? Ever heard of birth control? I suppose that requires being able to read as well.)

Spelling, punctuation, capitalization and writing a complete sentence would really go a long way to make your story understandable. It’s not too late to improve your writing, if you cared to do so.

So Blondie, are you the literary police? Keep reading the post over until you get it…how dare you suggest birth control to a mother who’s first child was forcefully removed from her in order to cater to the demands of prospective adopters (see ‘Forced Adoption’ as happened in Australia, Brittain, Canada, the USA, Spain, Korea, etc etc)…and who lost her third child to Cancer…what sort of an unfeeling person are you? I certainly hope your nastiness isn’t based on your own desire to adopt another mothers child…if you were to research the subject, you would learn that adoption is not the best option, is not in the best interest of the child and should never be used by a mother to make her own life ”better”. Unfortunately adopters are the ones who arrogantly decide that THEY are best suited to raise another woman’s child and put that bs out there to coerce mothers to give up their babies…of course there are children who will inevitably need loving homes and guardians, but too many childless people want fresh newborns whose mothers will never get a chance to be a good mother…who find themselves in difficult but TEMPORARY hardship…signing away a child for the term of it’s natural life is not the answer to these situations…if communities were more caring no mother would be FORCED into giving up a child based on economics

I am adopted and have adopted. I don’t know my situation, but I do know I was abandoned at the hospital. For whatever reason, she couldn’t take care of me. I also have 3 cousins adopted – and 1 that was almost given up for adoption without the father knowing. Mother didn’t want a child – father found out and got her back. Mom was 19 and dad was 17 – he and the grandmother raised her. Then when mother got married, her husband couldn’t have kids and wanted a child – he forced her to take the daughter back from the dad and grandmother. Broke their hearts – and mother still didn’t want her, but did it to keep her new husband. This is just as bad – as it is taking a child from a loving home and placing her with some one who really didn’t want her to be there.

My son’s bio-mother couldn’t take care of him. I wanted to adopt even before I knew I was adopted (I found out at 28). I was open to an older child or newborn. My mother and I were working together and mom mentioned to a lady who was also adopted that I wanted to adopt. 6 months later she calls us out of the blue and tells us her friend’s daughter was placing her son for adoption. I had less than a month from the time I found out about him till he was born.

His bio-mom (tummy mommy, as my son calls her) had a traumatic brain injury and couldn’t care for her children. She is very intelligent and from a family of PhD’s, engineers, professors, pastors, etc. She made a decision to carry children (didn’t plan pregnancies though) but she felt her call in life was to give families who couldn’t have children, a child.

There is nothing wrong with adoption – to me it is the same as a surrogate. They make that decision. Now, in some cases it is forced. My grandmother was forced to give up her children – she was single again with a 5 year old, a 2 year old and a 2 month old (this was in the 30’s).

Her mother found out that she was going to be a cripple and forced her to give up all these children at once to take care of her. My grandmother was grown (18 and married when she had her first), her husband was convicted of bootlegging and went to prison. My grandmother wanted to stay with him – she was 23 when she gave them up. She was scared of her mother. My dad only has one memory of his grandmother – and that was fear. He didn’t even remember her name, but he remembered the fear.

She later got her oldest child back and had contact with her other 2. Then she had my dad and his sister later.

We had that happen several times in our genealogy – where young woman became pregnant and her parents forced her to give up her baby. This is plain out wrong. But when the mother makes the choice on her own, then it is a wonderful thing.

I am wanting to adopt again – and looking for a child in foster care. If 1 person out of 3 churches would adopt from foster care, there would be no children without a home. Many of these children have been abused or parents in jail/prison due to life choices. I would love to see every foster child in a family and every orphanage in the world emptied.

I’m very sorry that one of your children was ‘stolen.’ However, I think you have made a huge mistake saying that ‘unfortunately your daughter is loyal to her adopters.’ Of course she is, they are her parents. You are a biological parent. They have loved her and given her the world and she loves them more than you will know. How do I know this? Because I’m adopted and I feel nothing towards my birth mother other than thanks for giving me a family I could not live without. I understand that love your child but you can’t expect her to feel the same way. I hope that you will develop a relationship but remember to be respectful to the people who raised your daughter and turned her into the beautiful person she is today.

Exactly 5 minutes after I posted the link to this article and the beautiful and moving video on my facebook page, tears still on my face, my son phoned (he lives on the West Coast and I live in New England) to tell me he just learned the results of our blood/tissue test — we are a match for him to donate a kidney to me to save my life. Typically talkative, right now, I am at a loss for words. I would give my life for my son and daughter and grandchildren, they are my life’s blessings.

What a beautiful article, post and interesting ‘thread’. It’s fascinating to me how the one, unity, non-dual nature, whatever term one prefers – presents itself for us continually. Reading these posts evokes a sharing which could span 3 or 4 generations. Today, however, I will focus on my own experiencing in this life. At age 19, a miscarriage. One year later, a full term healthy baby boy. Three years later, another full term healthy baby boy. Throughout the second full term pregnancy my sister (adopted) insisted it was a girl, even going so far as to bring frilly little girl clothing and hang them in the closet, whenever she came to visit. I would often stand in the nursery looking at the little dresses and while I had an experience of a little girl, it was crystal clear to me the child I was carrying was a boy. Our tradition was to wait until the birth to know the gender of the children, so who knew? A boy he was.

About 10 years later, in a psychic reading, I was told there was a red headed little girl who was always at my side but had not decided if she wanted to be born ‘this time around’ or not.

Twenty five years later, my husband’s older son fathered a child, a little girl, whom my husband and I adopted. She was born bald, without so much as an eyelash or eyebrow. At about 2 months of age, while she was laying on the changing table, the light from the window washed over her and there they were! The beginnings of golden red eyelashes and eyebrows!

When she was 3 years old, she said “Mama, I remember when I was with God before I came to you and daddy. I knew you couldn’t have any more babies, so T and R helped me get to you and daddy.” I can assure you I had never told my 3 year old daughter that I had a hysterectomy when I was 28. When this same beautiful child was about 5, she said “Remember that first baby you had, the one that wasn’t born? The one before Jeff (my older son) came?” “That was me. I changed my mind.”

There are many things one could wonder: What made my adopted sister so strongly experience the presence of a baby girl? What made me sense a girl and yet know the child I was carrying was a boy? Where did psychic information about a red headed little girl, always by my side, still deciding to be born, come rom? How did my adopted 3 year old daughter know I could no longer bear children?

While these life experiences fill me with wonder, awe and gratitude, I know in my heart that everyone and everything is connected – so they’re not surprising.

It is always a great pleasure when I receive more information about how ‘all the parts’ are discovering each other all the time. This article is a wonder and gift. Thank you, Laura. Many Blessings, Susan

Thank you Dear. Do you go by Laura or Laura Grace. Thinking, speaking and writing your name accurately is important. Your work is so inspiring and right on time for us! What else would it be? Love and Blessings All Around

My son – also adopted – told me about his brother and sisters. At this time, he didn’t know he was adopted nor did he know he had siblings (he was 4). He said he played with them in Heaven before he was born. He even said that his sisters were the oldest and then his brother – told me their hair color. And then the last thing he told me brought me to tears. He said his brother was being abused – being locked in the closest or basement. Turns out, it was the babysitter (a neighbor) that was doing this.

Also, he told me that each of his siblings lived with other mommies. Each child was in a different home.

He has told me that he saw me in Heaven and asked God to let me be his mom – he said that he knew I needed someone to love and help me with my pain.

Errrr, For me it goes further because of course we are all star dust. We all link to every one. Certain souls are closer on or in that consciousness field and it’s those we end up with. Then go broader. To kiss someone open mouthed is to share cells. It’s what brings us closer to our partners helps us experience them in that moment, how they are feeling, what they experience. And to carry semen with you… I’ve always known I’ve carried my man that way.
Honestly I think the article has narrowed it to mother child where it is mother child lover friend. Any close interaction of human-beings is just the same thing happening. And don’t forget the energetic interaction we all have daily. Walk into any auric field and they condition you right off the bat. You either love it or hate it or barely notice someone, dependent on your set up.
It’s all physics I tell you. Just remember never doubt what you know deep inside.

I totally agree with you, Emma. What a delight to read your commentary! Thank you! It feels great to come across others, like you and Laura, who share this knowledge. When I lie down for my daily nap (per doc’s orders since my kidney transplant 3 mos ago), I place my hand over my right pelvis, where I can easily feel my son’s very large kidney. I feel the love circling through me and my hand and his kidney. The transplant team called it a “super kidney” because all my lab results became normal within 2 days post op – and I’ve been told that is almost unheard of! I have always felt healing energy in my hands and my son and daughter and I have a very close, powerful connection and share your same awareness and sensitiviies. We have had, individually and together, some extraordinarily profound experiences.. It is impossible for me to adequately describe what my transplant experience has been for the three of us. The eternal and ancient connection to one another which we feel also continues to my grandchildren. I have never doubted. The clarity of your words is much appreciated!

Rohana that kidney is super. It’s cleansing and a teacher for not just you but your family and medical team. It sounds like your recovery is on a deeper level than anyone would have given credit for. How perfect.

And that is why I believe kissing is a sacred thing and should only be shared with the one you are going to marry. And sex too – we hold the DNA of every sexual partner within us. It becomes part of us. I believe this is why God said that a man leave his father and mother and become one with his wife. What God has joined together, let no man put asunder. God’s plan was for 1 man and 1 woman for life – and fornication/adultery is a sin. It is hurting our body and our spirit each time we have another sexual partner.

Because I’m a 66 year old Catholic, my first lessons in The Faith were from the old Baltimore Catechism, memorized. It’s a good thing we were required to memorize them, because if I didn’t fully understand what I was “parroting” then, I would desperately need later. I remember, Q. Who made you? A. God made me., Q. Why did God make you? A. God made me to know, love, and serve Him in this world, and be happy with Him forever in Heaven.

I came, over the years, to understand that the God Who made me is wildly, madly in love with me, and that’s why He made me, because He wants me to be with Him. And because He’s so in love with me (and you, too) He sent His only Son to show me the Way and to suffer and die for my sins, so I could be with Him despite everything I’d ever done to betray His Love.

That same God Who loved me when no one else did, when it seems no one else does or will, loves me more than anyone else ever could, and He loves each of my children just as passionately as He loves me. Because God loves me so, I know that I will go to Heaven, because I want to be with Him, and I am sorry when I sin against His Love, and He is Mercy, personified.

So if I can be in Heaven, because God made me for Heaven and I want to be in Heaven with Him, what does that say about where my babies who were not born are? God made me because first, He loved me. He didn’t start to love me after I was 1 month or 2 months in my mother’s womb. He loved me first.

So, too, does all I just wrote apply to my babies. I know they are in Heaven, and I can visit with them now in my prayers, asking them to pray for me, for their brothers and sisters who still struggle in this world…

With this little bit of knowledge from the world of science, I know I carry them with me in my very cells and they are Happy in Heaven and also helping me heal every day of my life in this world. When I get to Heaven, I’ll get see them and I’ll know them and they’ll know me, and we will all be so happy together!

And, only recently, I realized I had it wrong all these years. I was teaching my kids their Catechism so they would not sin against God Who loves them. I should have been teaching them so they would know He still loves them when they do sin. It makes all the difference in the world.
Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful article, and the science behind it.

Hi Laura,
I just read your blog about Fetal cells found in mothers – Thank you for sharing that. I love the beautiful thought that I carry a little bit of each of my children with me always, especially having just lost my 14 year old daughter to cancer earlier this year. I am writing a book “Two Mothers, One Prayer: Facing your child’s cancer with Hope, Strength and Courage” which will be released next February. May I have permission to include a quote from that blog post- the first few paragraphs? I will be sure to include the link to the post and your website.
with gratitude,
Laura Lane

Wow! What an amazing discovery. I developed a shellfish allergy with my second and when he was being worked in for ear issues, my own ears started ringing. I knew we were connected but this is incredibly beautiful proof.

I even told him I knew this, I could feel it in a way I can’t explain… a part when I my baby and I are still the same person… and breastfeeding for years helps the feeling…
Maybe nature gave women an istinct also to “recognize” and love your half for long time cos of that… tho men are able to let you forget also this…

I feel so blessed to have been led to this information. I feel like it explains why I “got better,” after I conceived twice. When I was 12, I broke my back in a farming accident. I took a lot of aspirin for my pain, until I conceived twice when I was 22. Yes, I do have a daughter, my wonderful Sage Unity Sequoia. Honestly, I’ve just gotten healthier and stronger ever since I had her 16 years ago. Strangers always assume we are sisters, I look that good! Great genes, again.
Thank you for writing this!
Lexee

Not everyone has a warm and cozy, touchy feely relationship with their female parent.

I didn’t like this blog post. It takes it for granted that all mother child relationships are something that many are simply not. For those of us who had abusive parents, this idea of cellular connection is horrifying.

Ahh, your comment resonates with me – in a way Laura’s post didn’t. She was writing about one thing; you and I are writing about another. As verbally abusive as my mother was, I’m touched to think that having had children may have done her some good (which is my take-away from Laura’s piece). I can imagine, though, that a more abusive parent would send one running, wishing for no connection at all. It seems to me (from the science described above) that the connection is there, whether we want it or not.

My lack of connection with this topic works in the other direction too. My son is adopted. He and I are not connected in the way Laura describes.

I don’t think Laura has any obligation to write to every single person in her audience in each post. And it is good that we notice those who are not included in this.

Thank you for sharing your reactions Danusha, and I appreciate you expanding on this Sue. In earlier comments, Brie and Rohanna echo your experiences, coming to see this science as a wider perspective on a connection with abusive parents. I certainly never intended for my response to this information to hurt anyone.

Dear Laura, you may recall I wrote to you about this topic about a year ago, right after my son donated one of his kidneys to save my life. Jan 16th was the one yr transplant anniversary and we both have been doing great, docs could not be more pleased. Every single day I experience amazement at the miracle of being literally saved from what seemed to me and my family would be a premature death. If we carry dna cells from our children, siblings, parents and the father of our child, as well as sex partners, how can anyone focus on just the negative characteristics of any dna contributor? Speaking as a crime victim, as well as an abuse survivor, several times over, though long ago, I remind myself that with few exceptions, humans are a combination of good and not so good traits and gifts and flaws. Combined with so many other factors shaping us, I choose to focus on the good aspects. Many abusers began as victims. That they were broken and perpetuated the cycle does not negate their own broken spirit or the good qualities that first attracted us to them. My kids inherited extremely high intelligence, musical talent, sensitivity, all the wonderful traits their father had. They are gentle, compassionate people and outstanding parents to my grandkids. I could not be prouder of them. When I look at them, the really frightening aspects of my long ago marriage to their dad, who endured a traumatic early WWII childhood in Europe and yrs of abuse in a walled Catholic boarding school for boys in Italy, just don’t come into my mind. I am a Humanist, raised Unitarian, and atheist. I believe in the miracles and boundless power of the human spirit and our inherent goodness, if we are not mishapen by flawed, dysfunctional adults. And, I do want to point out that nothing you’ve written was insensitive or offensive, no way! People are individually responsible for their outlooks, the context in which they consider things. I have observed yet another benefit of aging is being able to look back with compassion or at least without rancor and just accept and learn and feel at peace.

I noticed that you apparently have another reader named Rohanna, who spells her name with 2 n’s. FYI, we are not the same person. Many people that have known me for years automatically add an extra “n” to my name, even when they see my own spelling all the time. I really don’t care. My name is common in other languages, just not here. There are several different spellings used. It’s even a word in Hawaiian and originally comes from Sanskrit, a root language. I wanted to point this out, lest you recall my name from months ago, which is unusual enough that you might, and confuse me with the other person.

Thanks again for bringing this exciting topic to light, so that people who might not read science news can learn about this remarkable discovery.

This brought tears to my eyes. I’ve only had one pregnancy, many years ago, when I was very young. I made it to 13 weeks before my mother confronted me about it. I didn’t see any reason to deny it, so I told her I was. My boyfriend was in the military and stationed thousands of miles away, but I thought we would be able to get married and raise our baby together. My father decided that I was going to have an abortion and that was that! I screamed and cried and pleaded, but he just asked me how I could be so selfish to insist on having my baby. He said that it would make him look bad and harm his potential for promotions at work. My mom joined in with him. They told me that my boyfriend had deserted me, which I had also been afraid of because his letters had become so few and far between. Back then, letters were our only way of communicating. They found a doctor who would assist them in backing me into a corner. Even our minister got into the act, telling me that, as far as he knew, abortion wasn’t a sin, but failure to honor one’s parents was absolutely a sin!

I had no one to help me. There was no Right to Life, then, I had no relatives within 2,000 miles and no close friends who could do anything. I finally gave up. I tried to be brave, the day it happened, but when I was given something like valium, I couldn’t act anymore. I started sobbing uncontrollably. The doctor asked if I was having second thoughts. I nodded. He should have called it off, then, but he nodded to a nurse, who stuck a needle in my hand, and knocked me out. When I woke up, my baby was gone. I was back in the hospital, two days later, with a very painful infection in my uterus.

That was the only pregnancy I ever had. I’ve never forgotten my baby, whom I have always believed was a boy. I’ve kept his spirit alive in my heart. Your article touched my heart and gave me hope that even part of my baby’s body is still alive in me!

You lost me at the fetus cells healing a body. The presence of fetal cells doesn’t tell me one thing or another about how why they are there. We all die. Now we’ll market fetal cell diets to supplement our other ocd marketing schemes. “Harness the power of cricket flour to boost your fetal cell health and ‘natural’ healing”! This guy is going to make millions.

“The study is the first to show conclusively that fetal cells contained in the placenta assist in cardiac tissue repair,” says Jakub Tolar, director of stem-cell therapies at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. To date the mainstream stem-cell community has not paid much attention to fetal stem cells in the mother,” says Diana Bianchi at Tufts University in Boston. “My hope is that this elegant paper will reawaken interest.” Previous research has identified fetal stem cells in other damaged organs of pregnant women, including the brain, liver, kidney and lung. Fetuses also produce cells that are known to protect the mother against breast cancer.”

Extrapolating that fetal cells will be sold as dietary supplements sounds like sci fi conjecture that doesn’t make sense.

When someone extrapolates about one possible negative effect or reaction to scientific research and discovery (i.e., marketing fetal cells for longevitity) it seems to be just an expression of their fear of change. Not that far from those who are closed to tasting foreign flavors, it’s a kneejerk response when a closed mind is jiggled. It’s a waste of time to try to answer nonsensical conjecture with logic when fear is speaking. Same reason you cannot use common sense to calm a paranoid person. IMHO

A correction: You say “The baby’s cells can also be transferred to the mother via breastfeeding.” Look at the source again – in that case, the transfer goes the other way.
I’m a bit disappointed in your remark about family dynamics. I think you’re trying to be cute, but I come from a remarkably uncomplicated family – we all just liked each other. My mother was plagued by auto-immune diseases rheumatoid arthritis – which seemed to take hold after she had a particularly bad bout of flu. She died in 2008 and I miss her terribly. The way you’ve stated this implies that she it’s the fault of her children’s cells. That hurts.
Apart from that, I heard about this on the RadioLab podcast a couple of years ago. Highly recommended scientific investigation: http://www.radiolab.org/story/205334-fetal-consequences/

You’re entirely right GypsiesO. Thanks for pointing this out. I’d read another reference that suggested transmission the other way, then apparently cited the wrong one. I’ll look for it when I get a chance.

Also sorry you felt my wording implied any blame for your mother’s illness. Science can’t unravel the millions of influences on our bodies and I apologize for errant wording that might have implied otherwise.

I have always known that something very special exist between my children and I. I always know before they tell me that something is wrong, and I always know what they are going to do before they do it. They always ask how I knew? I always answer that I am your mother, of course I know! !

This is such comfort for someone who has lost a child; I have always felt his presence, but to know it’s also something biological is good. As well as the continuing connection to my children who live.
Thank you.

Reblogged this on HopeForLittleBabies.com and commented:
I cried so hard while reading this. My son’s legacy shouldn’t be that his DNA exists inside of me and will “help me” if I need it. He deserved so much MORE!

Such a wonderful article… I read the comments too & would like to stick to the positive thought of this article… Its just miraculous & so intriguing to know that connections are formed this deep…. Thanks for sharing! 🙂

I liked this article very much, thank-you, it is touching. I’d like to add, that I work with deep sub-conscious belief systems, helping people change what I believe is ‘passed down or shared’ in families at a deeper level – sub-conscious ‘truth’s about ‘how family is’, ‘how mother is’, ‘how father is’ and more – the hidden thoughts that you secretly believe but do not know you believe.

As I have worked with sub-conscious beliefs so much (I have worked with them intensely for 17 years, changed more than 1,000,000 and written 3 books about them), I now ‘hear’ intuitively the sub-conscious beliefs that relate to situations or people that I encounter.

When I read your article, I heard this one: ‘My mother’s cells are not loving’. This is a hidden sub-conscious ‘concern’ or worry, underlying this story or information – an idea that your article combats, in a story-building way, which I think is why it has such a wonderful positive feeling.

I believe that the concern ‘My mother’s cells are not loving’ comes from ancient DNA manipulation of the human race, which was basically a betrayal – so that our very original creation (the original creation of humanity per se) or change of our cells by ‘mother’ in antiquity was in fact, ‘not loving’.

Anyway, on ’embracing’ the negative belief – using a special process I created called The Reprogramming that allows you to release such hidden negativity, it comes out with the new positive ‘answer’ – the new positive belief – of ‘I’m loved by all the symbiosis of my creation’. I thought you might like to hear that!

If you wish to release the old negative belief for yourself, from your system, you are welcome to visit my website jelila.com and join to get free unlimited access to my video showing you how.

Only release negative beliefs – which then installs the positive ‘answer’ in your system – creating positivity in your life. You cannot reach or release negative beliefs by just talking about them – you need a dynamic process like this to allow you access to your sub-conscious mind. If you follow the simple process, you will end up with the new positive belief installed in your system – and this then affects positively everything that you will then attract: Old negative belief ‘My mother’s cells are not loving’ when embraced in the process becomes I’M LOVED BY ALL THE SYMBIOSIS OF MY CREATION’. nice! x

Laura,
I wish I had read this sooner. Your article helped heal some old wounds and answer odd questions. I recently had my genetics sequenced and I was quite puzzled to see that a small amount of Y-DNA showed up (I have it on good medical authority that I’m really all woman-lol). I had several miscarriages in my 20s, which left me emotionally beat-down about having any biological children of my own. It is beautiful to think that my unborn son(s) left me gifts before departure.

It was while writing this that I started to really FEEL the “cellular” attachment to my mom that I think my body has always known. No matter where she is, no matter where I am, she is there— it is real, and I think it is a miracle. Thanks for your post!

Which makes the good health and longevity of nuns interesting and clearly sourced in other things since one presumes for most, no foetal cells are present. Although for the past 40 years it has been more common for women to become nuns later in life and after having had a family.

Laura, I just wanted to thank you for this. I always receive so many wonderful takeaways from your work but this one… I’ve read about microchimerism before but never connected it with my own miscarriage, and to think that she’s still with me, even a little bit… I just keep getting emotional thinking about it. Thank you so much.

Jen, I researched and wrote this article myself. It was published on my site June 12, 2012 and has been reprinted in several publications since. I intentionally posted it on my youngest child’s birthday because that day he was in a program out of state. It was the first time any of my kids had been away on their birthdays. Instead of baking a cake and welcoming people to a party I sat down and wrote this post.

I was on a very expensive drug to treat a pituitary tumor for nearly two years; I took 1 pill weekly (1/2 a pill on Monday and the other 1/2 on Thursday). My mustard seed (as I liked to call it) was hormonal-based, so I took a drug rather than have surgery. I was blessed with a healthy pregnancy (after 4 fertility tries) and had my medical miracle baby… she healed me!! The pregnancy hormones caused the tumor to self-implode. Sooo, I’m all healed now. Tumor GONE!! I’ve been tested twice over the last year and it is gone, gone, gone!! AND… I was born without an enzyme that processes cortisol (the stress hormone). The condition is called congenital adrenal hyperplasia and I also took a daily medication for that condition. My baby girl gave me the enzyme during pregnancy. So that is healed too. How absolutely AMAZING, right? During pregnancy, she shared her enzyme with me. The doc gave the process a technical name, but I can’t remember it. Now, I’m tumor-free, condition-free, medication-free and have the most gorgeous little 16 month old daughter!! Truly God’s gift in SO MANY WAYS!! Love your post. Thank you!!

Laura’s background includes teaching nonviolence, writing collaborative poetry with nursing home residents, facilitating support groups for abuse survivors, and writing sardonic greeting cards. She is currently a book editor. She also leads workshops on memoir, poetry, and creative thinking for Cuyahoga County Public Library, Literary Cleveland, and elsewhere. Her poetry appears in such places as Verse Daily, J Journal, Neurology, Literary Mama, and Penman Review. Her creative nonfiction and essays appear in such places as Wired, MOON Magazine, Christian Science Monitor, Praxis, and Under the Gum Tree.

She also blogs optimistically on topics such as learning, creative living, mindfulness, and hope.

Laura lives on a small farm where she works as an editor while also slooowly writing the 17 books she alleges she’ll actually finish.

Although she has deadlines to meet she tends to wander from the computer to preach hope, snort with laughter, cook subversively, ponder life’s deeper meaning, talk to livestock, sing to bees, walk dogs, make messy art, concoct tinctures, watch foreign films, and hide in books.

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